Automobile mirror control system

ABSTRACT

A control system for mirror in a vehicle as well as a method for controlling the side minors of a vehicle are disclosed. The control system may include a processor module and a memory module as well as a control console. The control console may include a minor toggle switch, a minor control switch, and two sets of memory recall switches. The first set of memory recall switches may be associated with set side mirror positions in a first operation state of the vehicle, which could for instance occur when the vehicle is operating in a drive gear. The second set of memory recall switches may be associated with set side minor positions in a second operation state of the vehicle, which could for instance occur when the vehicle is operating in a reverse gear.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to control systems for mirrors inautomobiles.

BACKGROUND

Rear view and side view mirrors are common features in a variety ofautomobiles. In addition to one minor typically located within thepassenger cabin, usually towards the ceiling of the cabin andpositionable so that a driver may view the environment through the rearwindow of the automobile, additional mirrors may be located on the sideof the automobile and exterior to the passenger cabin. In someautomobiles, one side-view minor may be located on the exterior of thevehicle proximate to the driver-side door, while another nearlyidentical side-view minor may be located on the exterior of the vehicleproximate to the passenger-side door.

Current control systems are provided which allow the driver toelectronically adjust the orientation of the side-view minors providedon the vehicle. The side mirrors may be adjusted through manipulation ofa control console. FIG. 1 illustrates a known control console 10 foradjusting side-view minors in an automobile. Control console 10 includesa mirror toggle switch 20, minor control switch 30, at least one memoryrecall switch 40, and a memory set switch 50. Mirror toggle switch 20allows the operator to determine which side mirror, the drive-side orthe passenger-side, should be controlled. Once a mirror is selected,minor control switch 30 may then be utilized to adjust the minor eithervertically or horizontally, as desired by the operator. Control console10 may further include memory features. For instance, a plurality ofmemory switches 40 may be provided, each of which is associated with aset position of the side-view mirrors. In this regard, actuation of afirst memory switch 40 may position the side-view mirrors to a set firstposition, while actuation of a second memory switch 40 may change theposition of the side-view minor to a second position. The memoryswitches 40 may be recalibrated by manipulating memory set switch 50 inconjunction with memory switches 40. For instance, an operator may setthe side-view mirrors to a unique orientation and then actuate thememory set switch 50 simultaneously with one of the memory switches 40,thereby associating that mirror orientation with that memory switch 40.

While memory switches 40 may be provided for orientating the mirrors foroperation of the vehicle while the vehicle is in forward drive gears,the orientation of the minors as the vehicle transmission switches to areverse gear may be preset by the automobile manufacturer. In thisregard, when the operator of the vehicle switches from forward toreverse gears, the side minors may automatically re-orient themselves toan orientation preset by the automobile manufacturer based on thedriving position setting. A typical preset orientation results insharply tilting the mirrors downward so as to view very low objects,such as a curb adjacent to the vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

A control system for mirrors in a vehicle is disclosed herein, and thecontrol system may include a control unit including a process module anda memory module, and a control console including a minor toggle switch,a minor control switch, a first set of memory recall switches, and asecond set of memory recall switches. The first set of memory recallswitches may be associated with set side mirror positions in a firstoperation state of the vehicle, and the second set of memory recallswitches may be associated with set side mirror positions in a secondoperation state of the vehicle.

Also disclosed herein is a method for controlling the side minors of avehicle, the method may include detecting the operational state of thevehicle, identifying the associated memory state, adjusting the sideminors of the vehicle to an orientation associated with the identifiedmemory state, and providing a continuous loop feedback to determinechanges in either the operational state or the memory state. The memorystate may be changeable by actuating either a drive memory recall switchif the operational state of the vehicle if the operational state of thevehicle is that the vehicle is in a drive gear, or by actuating areverse memory recall switch if the operational state of the vehicle isthat the vehicle is in a reverse gear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is identified as Prior Art and illustrates a known controlconsole for adjusting side-view mirrors in an automobile;

FIG. 2 illustrates a control console for adjusting side-view minors inaccordance with the instant disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates an operational flow chart for a control system inaccordance with the instant disclosure; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a control system in accordance with the instantdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description and the appended drawings describeand illustrate some embodiments of the invention for the purpose ofenabling one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to make and use theinvention. As such, the detailed description and illustration of theseembodiments are purely illustrative in nature and are in no way intendedto limit the scope of the invention, or its protection, in any manner.It should also be understood that the drawings are not to scale and incertain instances details have been omitted, which are not necessary foran understanding of the present invention, such as details offabrication and assembly. In the accompanying drawings, like numeralsrepresent like components.

In one embodiment of the disclosure, A control system for mirrors in avehicle is provided, and the control system may include a control unitincluding a process module and a memory module, and a control consoleincluding a mirror toggle switch, a mirror control switch, a first setof memory recall switches, and a second set of memory recall switches.The first set of memory recall switches may be associated with set sidemirror positions in a first operation state of the vehicle, and thesecond set of memory recall switches may be associated with set sideminor positions in a second operation state of the vehicle.

In further embodiments of the control system, the first set of memoryrecall switches may share a common first shape, and the second set ofmemory recall switches may share a common second shape. The firstoperation state of the vehicle may occur when the vehicle is operatingin a drive gear, and the second operation state of the vehicle may occurwhen the vehicle is operating in a reverse gear. The control console mayfurther include a memory set switch wherein actuation of the memory setswitch in conjunction with one of either the first or second set ofmemory recall switches operates to associate the instant mirrororientation with the respective memory recall switch. The control mayfurther include an additional memory set switch, and the memory setswitch is actuatable in associated with the first set of memory recallswitches, and the additional memory set switch is actuatable inassociation with the second set of memory recall switches. The first setof memory recall switches may include at least three recall switches,and the second set of memory recall switches may include at least threeswitches.

A method for controlling the side mirrors of a vehicle is furtherdisclosed in accordance with the disclosure, the method may includedetecting the operational state of the vehicle, identifying theassociated memory state, adjusting the side mirrors of the vehicle to anorientation associated with the identified memory state, and providing acontinuous loop feedback to determine changes in either the operationalstate or the memory state. The memory state may be changeable byactuating either a drive memory recall switch if the operational stateof the vehicle if the operational state of the vehicle is that thevehicle is in a drive gear, or by actuating a reverse memory recallswitch if the operational state of the vehicle is that the vehicle is ina reverse gear.

With reference to FIG. 2, a control console 100 is provided forcontrolling mirrors in an automobile in accordance with a control system200 as further described herein. Control console 100 may include amirror toggle switch 120, a mirror control switch 130, a plurality ofmemory recall switches 140/142, and a pair of memory set switches150/152. Minor toggle switch 120 may allow the operator to determinewhich side mirror, the drive-side or the passenger-side, should becontrolled. Once a mirror is selected, mirror control switch 130 maythen be utilized to adjust the mirror either vertically or horizontally,as desired by the operator.

Control console 100 may further include distinct memory featuresdepending on whether the vehicle is operating in a drive gear or areverse a gear. A first set of memory switches 140 may be provided tomemorize set minor orientations while the vehicle is in drive, while asecond set of memory switches 142 may be provided to memorize set minororientations while the vehicle is in reverse. For instance, when anoperator places the vehicle in a drive gear, the side mirrors mayautomatically transition to a first drive orientation as memorizedwithin control system 200 and associated with a first drive memoryswitch 140. When the operator wishes to transition to a reverse gear,the side mirrors may then automatically transition to a first reverseorientation as memorized within control system 200 and associated with afirst reverse memory switch 142. For any number of reasons, including achange of operator or change of driving conditions, it may be desirableto select an alternative memory-set orientation of the side minors.Accordingly, the operator may select a second drive memory switch 140thereby changing the orientation of the side mirrors to a secondorientation while the vehicle is in drive. The operator may similarlyselect a second reverse memory switch 142 thereby changing theorientation of the side mirrors to a second orientation while thevehicle is in reverse. The operator may therefore orient the sidemirrors as appropriate for the operator and driving condition.

A side mirror orientation may be set and thereby associated with one ofthe memory switches 140/142 through utilization of a memory set switch150/152. In some embodiments, a drive memory set switch 150 is providedand may be utilized for setting drive memory recall switches 140, whilea reverse memory set switch 152 is provided and may be utilized forsetting reverse memory recall switches 142. In another embodiment asingle memory set switch may be provided for setting either drive orreverse memory recall switches 140/142. A memory recall switch 140/142may be set, for instance, by mutually pressing memory set switch 150/152along with the desired memory recall switch 140/142. Drive set of memoryswitches 140 may be constructed with a distinct shape or dimensioncompared to reverse set of memory switches 142. The distinct shape mayfacilitate the operator to determine the appropriate memory recallswitch 140/142 to actuate by touch without needing to actually look atthe switch.

FIG. 3 illustrates an operational flow chart for control system 200 inaccordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Control system 200 mayinitially detect the operational state of the vehicle 210, which mayinclude determining whether the vehicle is in drive, reverse, or park.In this regard, communication with other components of the vehicle,including for instance the transmission, may be required. Next, controlsystem 200 may identify the associated memory state 220 afterdetermining the vehicle operation state. A default memory state may beinitially set by the vehicle manufacturer. The initial operation statemay, alternatively, be the last set memory state by the operatorconsidering the current operational state of the vehicle. Havingdetermined the memory state, the control system 200 may thenautomatically adjust side minors 230 in accordance with the memorystate. Control system 200 may then continuously loop feedback 240 todetermine changes in either operational state 210, which may occur forinstance when the operator changes between a drive gear and a reversegear, or a memory state 220, which may occur for instance when theoperator actuates a memory recall switch 140/142.

FIG. 4 illustrates components of control system 200 in accordance withan embodiment of the disclosure. A control console 100 may be provided,in accordance with the disclosure as previously described herein.Control console 100 may be connected and communicable with a vehiclecontrol unit 300, which may include a processor module 310 and a amemory module 320. Control unit 300 may operate to conduct thefunctioning of control system 200, including the controlling stepsdescribed in the operational flow chart of FIG. 3. All known or to bedeveloped computer operating components for processor module 310 andmemory module 320 are contemplated within the disclosure. Control unit300 may thereby operate to control one or more vehicle side mirrors 400,thereby permitting adjustment of minor orientation as described herein.

It should be understood and appreciated that vehicle or automobile, asused herein, encompasses any known or to be developed motor vehiclehaving a drive and reverse gear including, but not limited to, cars,trucks, all terrain vehicles, motorized tricycles, boats, and airplanesto name a few examples.

The descriptions set forth above are meant to be illustrative and notlimiting. Various modifications of the invention, in addition to thosedescribed herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from theforegoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fallwithin the scope of the concepts described herein. The disclosures ofeach patent, patent application and publication cited or described inthis document are hereby incorporated herein by reference, in theirentireties.

The foregoing description of possible implementations consistent withthe present disclosure does not represent a comprehensive list of allsuch implementations or all variations of the implementations described.The description of some implementation should not be construed as anintent to exclude other implementations. For example, artisans willunderstand how to implement the invention in many other ways, usingequivalents and alternatives that do not depart from the scope of theinvention. Moreover, unless indicated to the contrary in the precedingdescription, none of the components described in the implementations areessential to the invention. It is thus intended that the embodimentsdisclosed in the specification be considered as illustrative, with atrue scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the followingclaims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A control system for mirrors in a vehicle,the control system comprising: a control unit including a processormodule and a memory module; and a control console including a mirrortoggle switch, a mirror control switch, a first set of memory recallswitches, and a second set of memory recall switches, wherein the firstset of memory recall switches are associated with set side mirrorpositions in a first operation state of the vehicle, and the second setof memory recall switches are associated with set side mirror positionsin a second operation state of the vehicle, wherein the first set ofmemory recall switches includes at least three recall switches, and thesecond set of memory recall switches includes at least three switches.2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first set of memory recallswitches share a common first shape, and the second set of memory recallswitches share a common second shape.
 3. The control system of claim 1,wherein the first operation state of the vehicle occurs when the vehicleis operating in a drive gear, and the second operation state of thevehicle occurs when the vehicle is operating in a reverse gear.
 4. Thecontrol system of claim 1, the control console further including amemory set switch, wherein actuation of the memory set switch inconjunction with one of either the first or second set of memory recallswitches operates to associate the instant mirror orientation with therespective memory recall switch.
 5. The control system of claim 4, thecontrol console further including an additional memory set switch,wherein the memory set switch is actuatable in association with thefirst set of memory recall switches, and the additional memory setswitch is actuatable in association with the second set of memory recallswitches.
 6. A method for controlling the side mirrors of a vehicle, themethod comprising: detecting an operational state of the vehicle;identifying the associated memory state; adjusting the side mirrors ofthe vehicle to an orientation associated with the identified memorystate; and providing a continuous loop feedback to determine changes ineither the operational state or the memory state, wherein theoperational state of the vehicle is determined whether the vehicle is ina drive gear or a reverse gear, and wherein the memory state ischangeable by actuating either one of at least three drive memory recallswitches if the operational state of the vehicle is that the vehicle isin a drive gear, or by actuating one of at least three reverse memoryrecall switches if the operational state of the vehicle is that thevehicle in a reverse gear.